Pallet adaptor and shield therefor



Oct. 10, 1967 w. N. DE SHERQBININ 3,346,098

PALLET ADAPTOR AND SHIELD THEREFOR Filed July 22, 1964 5 INVENTOR. 6@ u i Wuum N. deSuaasmm .9 BY Fie. 5. 8;, 3n. g4

. ArrqR/v) United States Patent Ofiice 3,346fi98 Patented Oct. 10, 1967 Filed July 22, 1964, Ser. No. 384,325 3 Claims. (Cl. 206-1.7)

This invention relates to a pallet adaptor and a shield therefor and has particular reference to an adaptor that has clipping engagement upon one edge of a painters pallet and upon which the various colors are mixed thus always keeping the pallet clean and after the painter has completed a particular period of activity, the adaptor is removed from the pallet with the paints still thereon and is slipped into the tubular protective shield that grips the edges of the adaptor and whereby the adaptor and the shield may be conveniently carried in a suitable kit without other elements of the kit coming in contact with the paints. If desired the encased adaptor may be inserted into a Cellophane bag or into a receptacle having water therein thus additionally protecting the paints against drying.

Novel features of construction and operation of the device will be more clearly apparent during the course of the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings wherein has been illustrated a preferred form of the device and wherein like characters of reference are employed to denote like parts throughout the several figures.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the shield,

FIGURE 2 is an underneath perspective view of the pallet adaptor,

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary perspective view of the pallet adaptor,

FIGURE 4 is an end view of the shield, and

FIGURE 5 is a similar view showing the pallet adaptor installed therein.

Referring specifically to the drawings and particularly to FIGURES l, 4 and 5 there has been illustrated an elongated channeled shield indicated as a whole by the numeral 5 and that is preferably formed of relatively thin extruded aluminum or plastic. The shield 5 may of course be anodized in any desirable color. The shield embodies a flat top 6, outwardly inclined side walls 7, connected to inwardly inclined wall portions 8 that terminate in a slightly upwardly inclined lip 9. The walls 7, 8 and 9 are yiedable, since the aluminum is approximately &2 of an inch thick and the connection between the walls 7 and 8 form a pocket for the pallet adaptor, illustrated in FIGURES 2, 3 and 5. The shield 5 is open at its 0pposite ends for receiving the adaptor from either end.

The adaptor is formed of a generally rectangular sheet of aluminum indicated at 10, having a pair of spring clips 11 fixed to its underside. The tongues 12 of the clips may be welded or otherwise connected to the underside of the adaptor. The adaptor in use is attached to a conventional painters pallet and the various colors are mixed thereon such, being ordinary oil paints, indicated at 13. With the adaptor connected upon an edge of the pallet, the painter proceeds to use the mixed paints 13 in a normal manner and usually more paint has been mixed and is usable at a particular time and to save the paints, the

adaptor is inserted into the shield 5 in an edgewise manner, with the paints uppermost and the longitudinal edges of the pallet are grippingly held by the curved portions 7a of the shield, since it becomes necessary that the walls 7 be sprung slightly outwardly to permit the insertion of the adaptor. The adaptor is co-extensive with the shield and is shifted into the shield to be disposed in the manner illustrated in FIGURE 5 where the adaptor will be securely held against shifting outwardly of the shield and the entire assembly may be conveniently carried in a kit, suitcase or other receptacle without contact with the paints 13. The spacing between the lips 9 constitutes an opening for the full length of the shield 5 and facilitates the cleaning of the shield.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that a very novel means has been provided for clipping engagement to a conventional pallet upon which the paints are mixed in a conventional manner and avoids the mixing of the paints directly upon the pallet, that would necessitate cleaning of the pallet prior to each use. The adaptor, while being illustrated With a pair of spring clips for connection to the pallet may also have one edge rolled over upon itself to constitute a clip for the full length of the adaptor but basically, they would both support the adaptor upon the pallet. After the adaptor has been inserted within the shield, it may possibly be engaged into a plastic bag to prevent the flow of air through the device or the entire assembly may be immersed into a bag or other container that is filled with water and this will also protect the paints remaining on the adaptor against drying. The container for immersing the adaptor may be shaped substantially similar to the shield but, with the shield being closed at its bottom and one end so as to retain the water that is disposed therein. If the adaptor by itself is to be immersed in water, it can be laid into a relatively shallow pan having a depth whereby the water will overlie the adaptor and the paints remaining thereon. The device is extremely simple, is strong, durable, cheap to manufacture and most advantageous in protecting paints remaining on the adaptor and with the paints being held in the shield so that they Will not come in contact with other accessories in the kit. The device is also very ornamental especially, when the aluminum has been anodized in various colors.

It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the precise construction shown, but that changes are contemplated as readily fall within the spirit of the invention as shall be determined by the scope of the subjoined claims.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for use by artists that comprises an adaptor for detachable connection to a marginal edge of a pallet and to form a surface upon which oil paints are to be mixed, and an elongated shield that is co-extensive with the adaptor; said shield being opened at its opposite ends and having a flat top and flexible outwardly angled marginal side walls, the side walls being additionally curved intermediate their length and then bent inwardly and with the inwardly bent portions terminating in upwardly angled flanges, the curved portions of the side walls forming grooves for receiving the opposite marginal edges of the adaptor, the adaptor being a flat rectangular sheet having a pair of flat springs secured upon its bottom one adjacent each end for yieldable clipping engagement with the pallet; the adaptor being positioned within the shield With the edges of said adaptor fri-ctionally engaged within the grooves at each side to hold the adaptor against accidental displacement, the shield being open upon its bottom for its major Width, the curved portions of the side walls disposing the adaptor at an elevation above the flanges to form a clearance for the springs, the adaptor being disposed Within the shield with its top surface uppermost and whereby the paints are disposed Within the shield and in spaced relation to the top of the shield.

2. The structure according to claim 1 wherein the adaptor is composed of aluminum.

3. The structure according to claim 1 wherein the shield is composed of aluminum.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,391,028 9/1921 Werntz 2061.8 1,913,142 6/1933 Ondricek 206-195 2,576,708 11/1951 Williamson 20645.34 X 2,718,722 9/1955 Barg 2061.7 10 2,797,012 6/1957 Buck 206-45.34 X

LOUIS G. MANCENE, Primary Examiner. 

1. APPARATUS FOR USE BY ARTISTS THAT COMPRISES AN ADAPTOR FOR DETACHABLE CONNECTION TO A MIRGINAL EDGE OF A PALLET AND TO FORM A SURFACE UPON WHICH OIL PAINTS ARE TO BE MIXED, AND AN ELONGATED SHIELD THAT IS CO-EXTENSIVE WITH THE ADAPTOR; SAID SHIELD BEING OPENED AT ITS OPPOSITE ENDS AND HAVING A FLAT TOP AND FLEXIBLE OUTWARDLY ANGLED MARGINAL SIDE WALLS, THE SIDE WALLS BEING ADDITIONALLY CURVED INTERMEDIATE THEIR LENGTH AND THEN BENT INWARDLY AND WITH THE INWARDLY BENT PORTIONS TERMINATING IN UPWARDLY ANGLED FLANGES, THE CURVED PORTIONS, TERMINATING IN UPFORMING GROOVES FOR RECEIVING THE OPPOSITE MARGINAL EDGES OF THE ADAPTOR, THE ADAPTOR BEING A FLAT RECTANGULAR SHEET HAVING A PAIR OF FLAT SPRINGS SECURED UPON ITS BOTTOM ONE ADJACENT EACH END FOR YIELDABLE CLIPPING ENGAGEMENT WITH THE PALLET; THE ADAPTOR BEING POSITIONED WITHIN THE SHIELD WITH THE EDGES OF SAID ADAPTOR FRICTIONALLY ENGAGED WITHIN THE GROOES AT EACH SIDE TO HOLD THE ADAPTOR AGAINST ACCIDENTAL DISPLACEMENT, THE SHIELD BEING OPEN UPON ITS BOTTOM FOR ITS MAJIR WIDTH, THE CURVED PORTIONS OF THE SIDE WALLS DISPOSING THE ADAPTOR AT AN ELEVATION ABOVE THE FLANGES TO FORM A CLEARANCE FOR THE SPRINGS, THE ADAPTOR BEING DISPOSED WITHIN THE SHIELD WITH ITS TOP SURFACE UPPERMOST AND WHEREBY THE PAINTS ARE DISPOSED WITHIN THE SHIELD AND IN SPACED RELATION TO THE TOP OF THE SHIELD. 